


The Parting Glass

by Vegvisir



Category: Assassin's Creed
Genre: Adultery, Death, F/M, Gen, One Shot, Sad, possible outcome
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 10:00:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2808389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vegvisir/pseuds/Vegvisir
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>London 1736</p>
<p>Following the golden age of piracy, you travelled back alone and settled in London.  A surprise visitor brings with him a life changing letter.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Parting Glass

London 1736

It was a beautiful spring day in late March, the bright sunshine beat through the newly opened leaves on the trees in the avenue outside your house, the shafts of sunlight seem to dance and jump across the pavement with every gust of wind.

It had been a particularly difficult and long, hard winter that year for many reasons and you gladly welcomed the first signs of spring,

Standing for a moment in the front room of your house staring out from the large wooden sash window into the street outside, you couldn't help your thoughts wandering back to a different, happier time when your life had been filled with fun, laughter and passion. You breathed a deep sigh and wondered if you'd ever feel such contentment ever again. You gazed into the street below, it was something you found yourself doing often, especially of late. Ten minutes usually turned into an hour before you knew it, but you seemed to find some peace watching the world outside getting along with its business. That day it seemed most of your neighbours were out enjoying their daily commute,

"it's amazing what a little sunshine can do" you thought to yourself as people bustled passed greeting each other and smiled.

A while had passed, maybe a little short of an hour or so, you really couldn't be sure. Snapping your thoughts back you suddenly thought of the accumulation of paperwork that you really needed to address.

"This really won't do" you muttered to yourself and shuffled slowly from your sun soaked spot in the window.

You walked into your study and strode across the wooden floor, your footsteps almost echoing in the quiet room.

Sitting down at your desk you shuffled the papers loosely across its surface reminding yourself of where you got last. You picked up your pen from its recess in your desk, dipped it into the inkwell and started to write.

It was fair to say you'd fallen a little behind with work of late, the recent date of Edwards Birthday had overtaken your thoughts lately and sapped your motivation to do pretty much anything, today was again turning into a particularly unproductive day.

KNOCK KNOCK

You glanced up,

Not expecting visitors and not feeling particularly sociable you chose to ignore the visitor hoping they would assume your absence and go away. You dipped your pen into the inkwell once again and turned your thoughts back to your work.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

It came again only this time it was louder and seemed slightly more urgent.

You sighed placing your pen carefully down on your paperwork and pushed yourself to your feet, your wooden seat creaking as you lifted yourself up. If truth be known visitors were the very last thing you could face right at this moment in time.

You made your way from your study down the long narrow corridor towards the front door.

"Alright alright" you mumbled, you unlocked the door and twisted the door handle tentatively with a clunk. The door creaked slightly as you opened it inwards, the fresh bracing air from outside poured in and slapped your face as you hesitantly and slowly peaked out from behind the cover of the door.

"Good morning lass!" Boomed a familiar voice

Your eyeline raised from street level up the mans legs and finally rested on his face, it was a face you'd known so well, a face you'd not seen in many a year.

"Adé!" You exclaimed loudly in disbelief "is that really you?" You asked

"Aye Lass" Smiled Adé , his smile illuminating his face, his perfect white teeth gleaming.

"Oh my god, it is you!!" You exclaimed. stepping out from behind the door, you stared at him a moment unable to really process that he was there, right there, stood in front of you.

"It's cold here lass" He boomed smiling

Your thoughts suddenly snapped back

"Oh of course... what am I thinking.... you must come in" you said standing to one side pulling the door open and inviting him in.

Adé stepped over the threshold and waited to your side as you pushed the door closed, You'd forgotten how much of a mountain the man was, well over six foot tall and chest as round as a barrel

"It's so good to see you Adé , Come through and I'll fix us some tea.....can I take your hat and coat?" You asked gazing up at him

Adé removed his tricorn hat and handed it to you

"Lass, I'll keep my coat if it's ok with yourself, I'm still not accustomed to the English clime , I've never been so cold afore"

You smiled

"Of course Adé, go through and take a seat, I'll be through shortly" you held your arm aloft and gestured him through to the front sitting room

Adé followed your direction, you noted he had no bags with him but carried under his arm, a small leather bound document folder, slightly smaller in size than a case but substantially larger than an envelope. 

*

You placed the tray of tea down on the small occasional table in the drawing room and proceeded to pour the tea from the pot into the cups, handing one with its saucer to Adé, you took the other and sat down tentatively on the seat opposite him

"I still can't believe my eyes Adé, you look so well, tell me how you've been keeping?" You asked

Adé lifted the small bone china cup to his lips and sipped at the hot tea inside, his large calloused hands delicately held the cup and saucer

"Aye, I'm keeping well lass, " there was a short awkward silence between you, you knew there was a reason for Adés visit

"As much as I love to see you, I take it you're here on business Adé ?" You asked putting an end to the awkward small talk.

Adé placed his cup and saucer down gently on the table in front of him and sat back in his seat

He paused a moment looking at you

"I've had a letter from Edward" he said quietly breaking the silence.

Your heart skipped a beat and your blood ran cold, you looked up glaring at Adé

"Impossible....... Adé that's impossible" you interjected firmly

"It arrived less than three weeks ago lass, I came as soon as I took its possession, he's passed strict instruction about a delivery for you, a delivery he wouldn't trust anyone but I to fulfil " he looked at you

"Adé I'm telling you that's impossible.... Edward...." you stopped.

"...... Edw..."

"It's ok lass, I know... I know" Adé interrupted you

"I still can't believe it Lass" he continued sadly

Your gaze fell from Adé and hit the floor.

"No" croaking your reply in agreeance, you lifted your cup to your mouth trying desperately to find something to immediately fill your mind and stop your eyes from welling.

"Have they caught those responsible yet?" He asked

"No....... " You shook your head slowly and stared blankly at a spot on the floor "no they haven't, chances are they won't will they?....... You know him, he always bloody insisted in busying himself in business he had no place in..... well he's paid the price now hasn't he!" You silently wiped tears that were beginning to fall from your eyes.

With that the door to the drawing room burst open surprising you both.

"MUMMY MUMMY MUMMY.... YOU MUST COME QUICK AND SEE!!!"

A small boy not older that 4 or 5 ran with gusto into the room, Ade's eyes fixed firmly on the youngster and followed him as he ran towards you.

"What's wrong mummy?, you look sad?" He asked tilting his head to look at your face.

You sniffed placing your cup and saucer down on the table infront of you and wiped the remnants of your tears onto the palm of your hand

"Do I? .......I'm absolutely fine sweetheart, " you said smiling "now what is it that's so important?" You asked quietly

"One of the chicks in the garden has hatched... you must come and see" he said loudly grabbing your hand and trying to pull you up

"That's fantastic news sweetheart, mummy will see later, I promise, I'm talking boring grown up things at the moment" you smiled

You glanced up from the child's face and looked over to Adé, he hadn't dropped his glance from the boy for a second.

"This is one of mummy's old friends sweetheart, he's come a very long way to see us "

The boy turned round and walked slowly across the room, Adés face dropped and his eyes widened as he looked closer at the boy. He had the most piercing blue eyes and collar length blonde hair.

"You look funny" he said staring at Adé

"Adé...... I'm so sorry" you interrupted

"It's fine" smiled Adé amused by the boys confidence

"Are you a sailor?" He asked examining Adés clothes

"I am sir" Came Adés reply as he sat forward in his seat engaging the young boy

"That's nice.........my father was a sailor.... did you know him?"

Adé paused a moment, he glanced up towards you, you looked on, smiling at their exchanges.

Adés glance flicked back to the boy who was stood eagerly waiting on his reply, Adés smile dropped from his face.

"Yes,.............. yes, I do believe I did" He croaked quietly

"He's dead now, but mummy says he was once a great sailor..... my names Edward" he uttered brightly offering his hand forward for Adé to shake

"My name is Adewale"

Adés hand dwarfed Edwards as he took a gentle hold

"Addy wally" laughed Edward "that's a funny name"

"Tell you what....." Adé leant even further forward and whispered "Your father used to call me Adé, that will do just fine" he replied smiling, shaking his hand gently

"Then I'm pleased to meet you Ade" smiled Edward

"Run along and play now sunshine while we finish our tea" you smiled addressing Edward

"Ok" he replied brightly and with that he ran from the room almost as quickly as he'd entered.

"My god lass I had no idea" uttered Adé in shock

"He grows more and more like him every single day" you replied

"His wife???" Asked Adé

"She doesn't know...." You replied shaking your head "poor woman's got enough on her plate as it is, I don't intend for her to find out either, I'm many things Adé but a family wrecker isn't one of them"

"But Edward married soon after he got back to England"

"Aye, he did...... I left the Caribbean a couple of years after Edward, you know me Adé, Id never been one to settle and with Edward gone it was even harder, it was time for a fresh start.....to try and settle down somewhere. So I decided to try my chances in London, no particular reason just a place no one knew me......I bumped into Edward by complete chance a six months or so after Id got back......... I don't know, it was like it used to be back on The Jackdaw, my stomach flipped once again and I found my smile.... it just felt right.......... We tried to stop Adé We really did, the times Id kick him from here but he'd come back and I was always glad he did, we just couldn't help it, neither of us could " you glanced up "do you think any less of me?"

"You!!??!!" he laughed heartily and loud "I could not think any less of you lass"

" If you ask me, truth really be told...you were the one for him.....always had been, you just both were too pig headed and stubborn to see what everyone else could"

You smiled a sad smile

"Aye, I think you're right Adé" you sighed a deep sigh

"I miss him terribly"

"So how have you been coping, I mean really coping?" He asked looking at you up and down "there's not as much meat on you as I remember lass"

"It's been hard Adé, I don't get out much these days to be honest, I have work I get on with at my desk, it keeps me busy"

"And financially?" He asked

"It's getting tighter there's no lie, Edward used to pay the rent on this place each month for us" you glanced around the room "he absolutely doted on little Edward.......were going to have to rethink soon if things get much tighter" you continued

"Well I am here for the time being lass and there's plenty of people I know in London who will be keeping an eye on you both and making you sure you come to no harm after I'm gone home, we've got to see that little scoundrel grow big now eh" Smiled Adé

You smiled in response

"Where are you staying Adé?" You questioned

"I have bed and board in the next borough lass, it's an ample room landlady's a little on the acerbic side but it's nice none the less "

"I will not hear of it Adé, You must stay with us, I have room"

"Really lass I cant, its no bother"

"Nonsense man! You will stay with us and no arguments about it Adé, I wont have it any other way, plus Edward will not forgive me if I let you go without him cross examining you for at least 3 hours about his father"

Adé smiled

"Lass ...... id love that thank you"

"Wonderful, That's settled then.... you can have Edwards room, he's been in with me since...."you stopped "well for a couple of months now" you continued slower

"Lass, forgive me" Adé interjected suddenly "....im so taken aback by little Edward, I've forgotten to give you this..... Tis the reason I came in the first place" Adé leant forward offering a substantially sized leather document folder

You leant slightly forward taking the folder from Adé slowly and gently, it was a slightly weathered looking leather folder bound with dark cordage and sealed on the one side, on the other was your name written in neat script.

You furrowed your brow and gave Adé a perplexed look

"I have no idea what it is lass" he said glancing at you as you grasped it, he sat back

Placing the folder on your knees you tugged firmly at the cordage wrapped around, it broke the seal with a loud crack.

Tentatively you opened the flap, you could tell by its stiffness it hadn't been handled very much at all.Inside it contained a good number of sheets of high quality paper, you could tell their quality by the weight and texture to them, your fingers grabbed the papers and slowly pulled them out.

Perplexed, you tilted your head to try and read them as you pulled them out but it was no use. Placing the folder at your feet you lifted the papers and examined them closer, they bore the letter head of The Royal Bank of London, a grand building in the city with large stone pillars outside the door and steps leading up to its entrance. You'd been aware of it and walked passed it many a time but never had call to venture inside.

It was difficult initially to make out what was on the sheets, lines and numbers and small neatly written script. Your name was at the top of the sheets along with your address. At the bottom was a figure in pounds, not fully understanding what it was you looked once again, only much closer this time.

Upon closer inspection it seemed to be an account that had been opened in your name, at the bottom its balance. inside the account was enough money to buy your house four maybe five times over, it was more money than you'd ever seen in your entire life. Certainly enough money that you nor little Edward need never want or worry about anything again.

Your eyes now beginning to silently well with tears, flicked further down. There you spotted some writing that you instantly recognised, it was Edwards scribe you could tell it a mile off. Written simply in black ink were the words

"I'll wait for you, my love forever .........  
Edward x"

**Author's Note:**

> Seriously.....Why oh why did I write this???


End file.
